Goods handling method and apparatus thereof

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a goods handling method for carrying in or carrying out goods with respect to storage facilities having multirow and multistage storing spaces including the steps of carrying the goods into a goods inlet apparatus or carrying out the goods from a goods outlet apparatus by causing the goods inlet apparatus or the goods outlet apparatus to travel in the vertical direction and in the horizontal direction along the the storing spaces of the goods storage facilities, conveying the goods within a plane parallel to a travelling plane of the goods inlet or the goods outlet apparatus, and transferring the goods, in a consecutive manner, from the goods conveying step to the goods inlet step, or from the goods outlet step to the goods conveying step by absorbing a difference between a goods inlet height or a goods outlet height in the goods inlet step or the goods outlet step and a goods conveyance height in the goods conveying step. An apparatus for carrying out the method is also disclosed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a goods handling method and anapparatus thereof which can efficiently, promptly and successivelyeffect an inlet and an outlet of goods with respect to storagefacilities.

(2) Background of the Invention

Examples of prior art devices relating to methods and apparatuses forcarrying in and carrying out goods to storage facilities are provided inJapanese Patent Application Early Laid-open Publication No.59(1984)-12005 U.S. Pat. No. 4,529,081), Japanese Patent ApplicationEarly Laid-open Publication No. 59(1984)-118603, Japanese PatentApplication Early Laid-open Publication No. 59(1984)-182104, JapaneseUtility Model Publication No. 47(1972)-33170, Japanese Utility ModelPublication No. 56(1981)-4650, Japanese Utility Model Application EarlyLaid-open Publication No. 50(1975)-113178, and Japanese Utility ModelApplication Early Laid-Open Publication No. 59(1984)-37206.

The above-mentioned official publications will be described. TheJapanese Patent Application Early Laid-open Publication No. 59-12005teaches that casings accummulated on an accummulation conveyor aretransferred as a lot unit onto a feed conveyor.

Similarly, the Japanese Patent Application Early Laid-open PublicationNo. 59-118603 teaches that multifrontage and multistage lattice-typeshelves are combined with a lifting apparatus and a carrier conveyor.

The Japanese Patent Application Early Laid-open Publication No.59-182104 teaches that a picking warehouse equipment comprises avertical circulation conveyor.

Similarly, the Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 47-33170 teachesan apparatus for distributing goods in the vertical direction by using aconveyor which can be freely varied its vertical direction inclinationangles. That is, this Official Publication discloses a carrier device,wherein an inclination conveyor (tilt conveyor) is disposed onto oneinclination carrier passage connecting the height of the lowermost stagegoods inlet place and the uppermost goods inlet place in such a manneras to continuously extend. The respective conveyors are provided as suchthat they are vertically oscillated about the inlet side end portions,thereby to selectively connect the outlet side end portions of therespective conveyors which are disposed onto the aforementioned passageto the goods inlet place.

The Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 56-4650 teaches that atravelling and lifting stacker crane and an expandable frame, whichexpands and oscillates according to the travelling and lifting of thestacker crane, are combined. That is, the Official Publication disclosesa carrier device comprising a sprocket pivotally attached to anout-release place in the vicinity of one end from which where atravelling and lifting stacker crane starts travelling and a terminalend where the stacker crane stops travelling, a driven sprocketpivotally attached to a step of a load table, and an endless beltbridged over to the sprocket.

The Japanese Early Laid-open Utility Model Application Publication No.50-113178 teaches an inching capable elevator inching in the verticaldirection disposed at angles.

The Japanese Early Laid-open Utility Model Application Publication No.59-37206 discloses that a tilt conveyor is oscillated integrally with alifting of goods delivery device. That is, the Official Publicationdiscloses a carrier device comprising a transfer device having aliftable delivery device, and a tilt conveyor disposed opposite to thetransfer device, an oscillation idling end of the tilt conveyor beingconnected to the delivery device side.

However, the conventional goods handling processes and apparatuses asmentioned have the following problems.

That is, although the device taught by the Official Publication of theJapanese Patent Application Early Laid-open No. 59-12005 can promptlyand efficiently feed casings, an extremely large crane main body isrequired.

Similarly, since the device taught by the Japanese Patent ApplicationEarly Laid-open Publication No. 59-118603 comprises a feed conveyorincluding an oscillation frame and a horizontal stationary frame whichare integrally formed by means of one belt looped therearound,particularly when it is brought to be opposite to tall storagefacilities, the gradient or inclination of the oscillation frame must bedecided within a gradient level in which goods do not fall according tothe height of the uppermost stage shelf. Accordingly, the oscillationframe must be prepared to be extremely long in length. As a result, aninstallation space of the storage facilities is required to be so largeas the width of bay of the storage facilities plus the length of theoscillation frame. Thus, an extremely large amount of dead space isproduced.

Likewise, although the device taught by the Japanese Patent ApplicationEarly Laid-open Publication No. 59-182104 can reduce the size of thecrane main body and the dead space can be minimized, each of the goodsis required to be timely transferred onto a goods receiving portion ofthe vertical circulation conveyor. Thus, a complicated control system isrequired. Nevertheless, the carrier capacity is limited.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 47-33170 does not describeanything about the concept that goods are automatically carried in orcarried out from storage facilities. Since the apparatus described inthe Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 47-33170 or the JapaneseUtility Model Publication No. 56-4650 has a tilt conveyor, a goodsoutlet end of which is not positioned lower than a goods inlet end ofthe tilt conveyor, the goods cannot be transferred lower than the goodsinlet end of the tilt conveyor. When it is applied to, for example, acarrier device for carrying in or carrying out the goods with respect tothe storage facilities, a dead space is produced at a lower portion ofthe storage facilities.

Likewise, in the art taught by the Japanese Utility Model PublicationNo. 56-4650, particularly when it is brought to be opposite to tallstorage facilities, the gradient or inclination of an expandable framemust be decided within a gradient level in which goods do not fallaccording to the height of the uppermost stage shelf. Accordingly, theexpandable frame is required to be made extremely long. As a result, theout-release place must be located at an extremely far place from the endportion of the storage facilities. Thus, an extremely large dead spaceis produced.

In the device the device taught by Japanese Utility Model ApplicationEarly Laid-open Publication No. 50-113178, goods cannot be handled in aconsecutive manner.

In the art taught by the Japanese Utility Model Application EarlyLaid-open Publication No. 59-37206, since the transfer device is notprovided with a travelling function, the structure of the storagefacilities is limited. In addition, although a slide type conveyor isconnected through a pin joint provided at an oscillation idling end ofthe tilt conveyor and leveling between the tilt conveyor and the slidetype conveyor is not necessary, since the structures of the tiltconveyor and the movable conveyor (slide type conveyor) are limited andthe respective conveyors cannot be used as independent conveyors, thereinvolve such inconveniences that the tilt conveyor and the slide typeconveyor cannot be independently actuated and controlled.

Further, in a carrier device comprising a tilt conveyor and a movableconveyor provided to at least one end side of the tilt conveyor, inorder to carry goods lower than the goods inlet end of the tiltconveyor, it is conceivable that the good outlet end of the tiltconveyor is made movable lower than the goods inlet end of the tiltconveyor. However, in this case, in a connecting area of the goodsoutlet end portion of the tilt conveyor set in a falling gradient stateand the movable conveyor, an extension plane of the conveyor plane ofthe tilt conveyor directs a downward level than the conveyor plane ofthe movable conveyor, due to, for example, that the extension plane ofthe conveyor plane of the tilt conveyor collides against a pulleycorresponding portion of the movable conveyor, there involves suchinconveniences that the tilt conveyor cannot surely and smoothlytransfer the carrying goods to the movable conveyor side.

Similarly, in the goods handling apparatus described in the JapanesePatent Application Early Laid-open Publication No. 59-12005, theJapanese Patent Application Early Laid-open Publication No. 59-182104and the Japanese Utility Model L Application EarIy laid-open PublicationNo. 50-113178, since no tilt conveyor is provided, when goods aretransferred between the storage section of each stage of the storagefacilities and the outlet or the inlet conveyor with respect to thestorage facilities, the goods must be vertically moved by some means andthen the empty means must be vertically moved prior to the followingtransfer step. Accordingly, the goods cannot be efficiently, promptlyand successively carried in or carried out with respect to the storagefacilities.

On the other hand, in the goods handling apparatuses disclosed in theJapanese Patent Application Early Laid-open Publication No. 59-118603,Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 47-33170, Japanese Utility ModelPublication No. 56-4650 and Japanese Utility Model Application EarlyLaid-open Publication No. 59-37206, since a tilt conveyor is provided,the above-mentioned problems are not encountered. However, in the goodshandling apparatuses disclosed in these Official Publications, the goodsstorage capable heights of storage portions at each stage of the storagefacilities are the same. Moreover, there is no description norsuggestion in these Official Publications about whether goods havingdifferent sizes or bulks are stored with respect to the storage portionsat each stage. Accordingly, when goods having a comparatively highcenter of gravity (tall goods) are conveyed by the tilt conveyor in itsextremely inclined state, there involves such problems that the goodseasily fall during conveyance.

Further, one example of the prior art related to a goods centeringapparatus is disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication No.61(1986)-4722. Furthermore, one example of the related art to such anapparatus is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Early Laid-openPublication No. 57(1982)145717.

The prior art disclosed in the above-mentioned Official Publicationswill be described. In the Japanese Patent Publication No. 61-4722, thereis described an apparatus, wherein a goods guide (side guide plate) isreciprocally movably provided with respect to a trunk, and while thetruck loaded with goods held in the state that the goods guide projectstoward the truck side runs toward a goods guide position, or the truckloaded with goods held in the state that the goods guide withdrawn runstoward the goods guide position, the goods guide is caused to beprojected to perform the centering of the goods.

Further, in the Japanese Patent application Early Laid-open PublicationNo. 57-145717, there is disclosed an alignment apparatus, wherein atleast a part of the rollers of a roller conveyor comprising a pluralityof rollers are provided at angles with respect to the perpendiculardirection to a goods guide and the sides of the goods are corrected tothe goods guide position.

However, the above-mentioned prior art related to the centering of thegoods involves the following problems.

That is, the apparatus disclosed in the Japanese Patent Publication No.61-4722 cannot control the reciprocally moving quantity of the goodsguide. Accordingly, although this apparatus is suitably applicable togoods having a certain size (width), it cannot perform the centering ofvarious kinds of goods having different sizes per every size. Inaddition, since the conveyance of the goods is effected not only bytruck but also by roller arranged on the truck in such a manner as tolaterally transfer the goods in the direction perpendicular to therunning direction of the truck, the structure thereof is complicated.

Further, the apparatus disclosed in the Japanese Patent ApplicationEarly Laid-open Publication No. 57-145717 is intended to align the goodsby a stationary guide with reference to the side of the goods.Accordingly, this apparatus can perform the centering of goods having acertain size or fixed size but it cannot perform the centering ofvarious kinds of goods having different sizes according to therespective sizes.

Furthermore, in a goods handling method, wherein goods fed to aplurality of goods feed conveyors according to, for example, the kindsof goods, are merged onto a goods carrier conveyor, and by causing agoods intake apparatus (warehousing apparatus) to travel in thegenerally parallel direction with respect to the goods carrier conveyortoward a desired intake position (warehousing position), for example,the respective storage section (storing space) in storage facilities,the goods which are being conveyed by the the goods carrier conveyor areintaken into the intake position according to, for example, the kinds ofthe goods, the goods merging order among the above-mentioned goods feedconveyors is usually decided by the following three methods:

(1) First-come-first-serve basis, i.e., the order of goods which arrivesfirst at the head (the downstream end) of the goods feed conveyor;

(2) Feed finishing order, i.e., the order that a goods feeding onto thegoods feed conveyor is finished first; and

(3) Fixed order, i.e., a predetermined order.

However, the above-mentioned conventional methods of goods orderingamong the goods feed conveyors have the following inconveniences.

That is, regarding the first-come-first-serve basis and the feedfinishing order, there is, in general, no rules between the goodsmerging order and the goods intaken order to the intake position.Accordingly, the intake apparatus is often reciprocally travelledbetween different intake-positions. Due to the foregoing, much time iswasted for travelling the intake apparatus. Thus, intake performance isreduced.

Further, regarding the fixed order, if the goods are not fed to thegoods feed conveyor in the predetermined order due to trouble ofupstream facilities, for example, a depalletizer, of the goods feedconveyor, intake losses are produced timewise.

Furthermore, gravity flow racks used for warehouse, etc. are usually aredesigned such that loaded goods are transferred toward the outlet sideby utilizing the gravity thereof. In order to prevent the conveyancespeed from becoming unnecessarily large due to acceleration caused bygravity of the goods, it is known that a brake apparatus is provided asdescribed in the Japanese. Utility Model Publication No. 61(1986)-1130and Japanese Patent Application Early Laid-open Publication No.60(1985)-248503. That is, the Japanese Utility Model Publication No.61-1130 teaches a brake apparatus, wherein a friction force is producedbetween goods and a roller by the roller inclined the axis thereof withrespect to the conveyance direction, thereby to control the speed ofgoods. Similarly, the Japanese Patent Application Early Laid-openPublication No. 60-248503 teaches a brake apparatus, wherein a brakeshoe block is lifted on a roller and the goods are caused to climbthereon to control the speed of the goods.

Furthermore, since the conveyance speed of goods does not become toohigh in a gravity flow rack having a comparatively short depth (theconveyance direction of goods), it is known that a goods holding pieceis fixed to an end portion of an outlet port side as disclosed in theJapanese Patent Application Early Laid-open Publication No.57(1982)-19205. That is, the Japanese Patent Application Early Laid-openPublication No. 57-19205 teaches a wall (goods holding piece) generallyvertically disposed to a lower portion of an outlet port side of agravity flow rack which conveys and stores the goods in a lateralposture.

Furthermore, in a gravity flow rack, there is known a conveyor asdisclosed in the Japanese Patent Application Early Laid-open PublicationNo. 60(1985)-188207, wherein a few goods are left on the downstream sideof an inclined conveyor so as not to permit the goods to collide at agoods holding piece at the downstream side, thereby to prevent thefalling and dropping of the goods.

However, although the apparatuses disclosed in the Japanese UtilityModel Publication No. 61-1130 and the Japanese Patent Application EarlyLaid-open Publication No. 60-248503 are applicable to a gravity flowrack having storing spaces of multirows and multistages, it is noteffective unless a brake apparatus is provided to each and all of thestoring spaces, which invites a large cost increase. In addition, sincethe actuating state of the brake apparatus must be always controlled tomaintain it in a constant conveyance state, a large expense is requiredfor maintenance thereof.

Furthermore, the apparatus disclosed in the Japanese Patent ApplicationEarly Laid-open Publication No. 57-19205 has such problems that if thecenter of gravity of goods is high, or the depth of a gravity flow rackis long (if the depth is long, storage capable quantity can be enlargedwhich unnecessitates a frequent feeding of the goods), the goods carriedin from the outlet port side often fall down or are dropped when thegoods are carried therein. This is especially true when no goods arestored yet .

Furthermore, in the method disclosed by the Japanese Patent ApplicationEarly Laid-open Publication No. 60-188207, since the goods are fed inthe state that at least one goods is already stored on the gravity flowrack, the goods which were carried in do not fall and are not dropped.However, under the situation that no goods are stored on the gravityflow rack, there involves the same problems as the afore-mentionedJapanese Patent Application Early Laid-open Publication No. 57-19205.

Examples of known picking apparatuses are disclosed in the JapanesePatent Publication No. 47(1972)-28868, Japanese Patent Publication No.49(1974)-41304, Japanese Patent Application Early Laid-open PublicationNo. 50(1975)-117178, Japanese Utility Model Application Early Laid-openPublication No. 52(1977)-83187, Japanese Patent Application EarlyLaid-open Publication No. 57(1982)-92421 (U.S. Pat. Application Ser. No.495,127 filed on May 16, 1983), Japanese Patent Application EarlyLaid-open Publication No. 59(1984)-207304, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide agoods handling method and an apparatus thereof, wherein no dead spacesare produced in the vicinity of storage facilities and goods can beefficiently, promptly and successively handled.

A second object of the present invention is to provide a goods handlingmethod and an apparatus thereof, wherein various kinds of goods havingdifferent sizes can be handled by centering according to the respectivesizes thereof.

A third object of the present invention is to provide a goods handlingmethod and an apparatus thereof, wherein one end of a tilt conveyor fromwhere goods are carried out can be positioned at a lower location thanthe other end of the tilt conveyor from where the goods are carried in,so that the goods can be conveyed downwardly lower than the goods inletend of the tilt conveyor, the gradient of the tilt conveyor is madecomparatively small without making the length of the tilt conveyor long,the structures of the tilt conveyor and a movable conveyor are such thatthey are independently controllable, and the goods can be surely andsmoothly transferred in the area where the goods outlet end of the tiltconveyor and the movable conveyor are connected.

A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a goods handlingmethod and an apparatus thereof, wherein goods can be efficiently,promptly and successively carried in or intaken with respect to goodsstorage facilities without receiving an adverse influence from upstreamfacilities.

A fifth object of the present invention is to provide a goods handlingmethod and an apparatus thereof, wherein goods can be efficiently,promptly and successively carried in or carried out with respect togoods storage facilities without permitting the goods to fall down atthe time when the goods are carried in or carried out.

A sixth object of the present invention is to provide a goods handlingmethod and an apparatus thereof, wherein goods can be efficiently andsafely carried in with respect to a gravity flow rack having a multirowand multistage storing spaces, particularly when the goods are firstcarried therein.

According to the present invention, the above-mentioned first object canbe achieved by providing a goods handling method for carrying in orcarrying out goods with respect to storage facilities having multirowand multistage storing spaces including the steps of carrying the goodsinto a goods inlet apparatus or carrying out the goods from a goodsoutlet apparatus by causing the goods inlet apparatus or the goodsoutlet apparatus to travel in the vertical direction and in thehorizontal direction along the the storing spaces of the goods storagefacilities, conveying the goods within a plane parallel to a travellingplane of the goods inlet or the goods outlet apparatus, and transferringthe goods, in a consecutive manner, from the goods conveying step to thegoods inlet step, or from the goods outlet step to the goods conveyingstep by absorbing a difference between a goods inlet height or a goodsoutlet height in the goods inlet step or the goods outlet step and agoods conveyance height in the goods conveying step.

Further, according to the present invention, the above-mentioned firstobject can be achieved by providing a goods handling apparatus forcarrying in or carrying out goods with respect to storage facilitieshaving multirow and multistage spaces including a goods inlet apparatusor a goods outlet apparatus adapted to carry in or carry out goods bytravelling in the vertical direction and in the horizontal directionalong the storing spaces of the storage facilities, a goods carrierconveyor adapted to convey the goods within a plane parallel to atravelling plane of the goods inlet apparatus or the goods outletapparatus, and a goods transfer conveyor adapted to connect the goodsinlet or the goods outlet apparatus to the goods carrier conveyor, theinlet or the outlet apparatus being placed on a lifting section of astacker crane which is caused to travel in the horizontal directionalong the storing space of the storage facilities, the goods transferconveyor being oscillatably mounted to the stacker crane according tothe lifting of the lifting section, while being supported one endthereof by the lifting section and the other end thereof at the sameheight of the goods carrier conveyor.

The above-mentioned first object, other objects and advantages of thepresent invention will be readily confirmed by the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments, when taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view schematically showing a goods handling apparatusaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 respectively are a plan view, a front view anda side view of an outlet side apparatus of a goods handling apparatusaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 respectively are a plan view, a rear view anda side view of an inlet side apparatus of a goods handling apparatusaccording to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged right side view showing an important portion ofthe outlet side apparatus according to one embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged plan view of the important portion of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10, FIG. 11 and FIG. 12 respectively are an enlarged plan view, anarrow view taken on line A-A of FIG. 10 and an enlarged left side viewshowing a goods inlet apparatus of a good handling apparatus accordingto one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 a schematic view for explaining a centering mode of the goodsinlet apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 14 (A) and (B) are front views showing an important portion pickedup from FIG. 3;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of FIG. 14 (A);

FIG. 16 is an arrow view taken on line XI-XI of FIG. 14 (A);

FIG. 17 (A) and (B) are front views showing an important portion pickedup from FIG. 6;

FIG. 18 (B) and (C) are pictorial views showing actuation states of theimportant portion of FIG. 3;

FIG. 19 (A), (B) and (C) are pictorial views showing actuation states ofthe important portion of FIG. 6;

FIG. 20 is a rear view of another outlet side apparatus;

FIG. 21 is a plan view schematically showing a goods handling apparatusaccording to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a plan view schematically showing a further embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 23 a front view of an outlet side apparatus according to still afurther embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 24 and FIG. 25 respectively are a plan view and a front viewshowing transfer portions for transferring goods from other transferconveyors to a goods outlet conveyor;

FIG. 26 and FIG. 27 respectively are a plan view and a front viewshowing other centering mechanisms of inlet apparatuses;

FIG. 28 is a plan view schematically showing a goods handling apparatusaccording to yet a further embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 29 a front view showing an outlet side apparatus of a goodshandling apparatus according to an additional embodiment of the presentinvention; and

FIG. 30 is a rear view of an inlet side apparatus of a goods handlingapparatus according to a further additional embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

First of all, a goods handling apparatus according to one embodiment ofthe present invention will be described hereunder with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic plan view of a goods handling apparatusof the present invention, wherein, reference character A denotes storagefacilities having a multirow and multistage storing space (storageportion), B denotes a goods outlet apparatus (hereinafter referred to asan outlet side stacker crane) which is caused to travel in thehorizontal direction along a storing space at an outlet side of thestorage facilities A, C denotes an outlet side goods carrier conveyor(hereinafter referred to as a goods outlet conveyor) disposed at anouter side of the travelling plane of the stacker crane B, D denotes agoods inlet apparatus (hereinafter referred to as an inlet side stackercrane) which is caused to travel in the horizontal direction along theinlet side storing space of the storage facilities A, E denotes an inletside goods carrier conveyor (hereinafter referred to as a goods inletconveyor) disposed at an outer side of the travelling plane of thestacker crane D, E-1, E-2 and E-3 denote goods feed conveyors(hereinafter referred to as storage lines or storage conveyors) forfeeding goods F, F,... to the goods inlet conveyor E, J-1, J-2 and J-3denote gate apparatuses for taking into the storage lines E-1, E-2 andE-3 a predetermined number of goods from the forward lines K-1, K-2 andK-3 as necessary, L-1, L-2 and L-3 denote depalletizers fordepalletizing palletized goods and carrying out onto the forward linesK-1, K-2 and K-3. The goods handling apparatus according to thisembodiment is generally constructed as such that the goods F,F,...carried out from the respective depalletizers L-1, L-2 and L-3 tothe respective forward lines K-1, K-2 and K-3 according to kinds thereofare fed to the respective storage lines E-1, E-2 and E-3 through therespective gate apparatuses J-1, J-2 and J-3, the goods F, F,...storedon the respective storage lines E-1, E-2 and E-3 according to the kindsare allotted with desired merging orders merging to the goods inletconveyor E according to the kinds thereof, the goods F, F,...allottedwith the merging orders are fed to the goods inlet conveyor E, the goodsF, F,... being conveyed by the goods inlet conveyor E are taken into apredetermined storing space of the storage facilities through the inletside stacker crane D waiting at a predetermined intake-position or inletposition and at the same time, the goods F, F,... within the storagefacilities A are forwarded by the outlet side stacker crane B, so thatthe goods F, F,...are carried out by the goods outlet conveyor C.

The respective component parts employed in the embodiment will bedescribed. The goods outlet conveyor C and the goods inlet conveyor E,as respectively shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 6, are located in outerpositions of the travelling plane of the outlet side stacker crane B andthe inlet side stacker crane D and generally horizontally disposed at aheight in the vicinity of a storing space of a central stage of thestorage facilities A. The goods inlet conveyor E is permitted to conveythe goods F, F,...fed from the storage lines E-1, E-2 and E-3 throughsuitable gates (not shown) to suitable positions.

The outlet side stacker crane B, as shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4,chiefly comprises a crane main body 3 supported by upper and lower rails21 and 22 and adapted to travel in the horizontal direction along theoutlet side storing space of the storage facilities A, a truck 4supported by likewise the upper and the lower rails 21 and 22 andadapted to travel in the horizontal direction along the outlet sidestoring space of the storage facilities A following after the crane mainbody 3, and a goods transfer conveyor (tilt conveyor) 5 adapted toconnect the crane main body 3 and the truck 4, a lifting section 31mounted to the crane main body 3 being placed with a goods outletapparatus 32 (liftable transfer apparatus) so that the goods outletapparatus 32 is caused to vertically and horizontally travel along thestoring space of the storage facilities A by the travelling of the cranemain body 3 and the vertical movement of the lifting section 31, thegoods F, F,... being taken out from a desired storing space by the goodsoutlet apparatus 32 and carried out onto the goods outlet conveyor Cthrough the goods transfer conveyor 5.

The outlet side stacker crane B will be described in detail withreference to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The lifting section 31 in thecrane main body 3 is liftably mounted in the crane main body 3 by a liftactuation apparatus 33. Placed on the lifting section 31 are the goodsoutlet apparatus 32 and a roller conveyor 34 adapted to transfer thegoods F, F,... taken out from the storage facilities A by the goodsoutlet apparatus 32 onto the goods transfer conveyor 5. The goods outletapparatus 32 employed in this embodiment is a picking apparatus asdescribed in Japanese Patent Application Early Laid-open Publication No.59(1984)-207304 including a pair of expandable oscillation conveyors 32awhich enter between the front end portions of the pair of rail frames 1,1 of the storage facilities A and take out the goods F, F,... from thestorage facilities A. Although a roller of the roller conveyor 34 may bedisposed perpendicular to the conveying direction of the goods, theroller is disposed at angles in this embodiment. Due to the foregoingarrangement, the goods F transferred from the goods outlet apparatus 32are conveyed in the direction as shown by an arrow in FIG. 2. At thetime when the goods F are transferred from the roller conveyor 34 ontothe goods transfer conveyor 5, the goods F are positioned at a generallycentral portion of the roller conveyor 34.

On the lifting section 31, a stopper 306 is also placed as shown indetail in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9. The stopper 306 is fixed to a pivot shaft363 carried on bearings 362, 362 on both sides of an upper end of aframe 361 erected from the storage facilities A side of the liftingsection 31 and oscillated between the solid line position (actuatingstate) and the virtual line position (released state) of FIG. 8 when thepivot shaft 363 is pivoted by a brake motor 365 through a chain 364. Thestopper 306 is controlled as such that the stopper 306 is oscillated tothe solid line position of FIG. 8 to receive or stop goods at the outletside end portion of a predetermined empty storing space of a gravityflow rack A as the storage facilities before goods is carried into theempty storing space. The stopper 306 is also controlled as such thatbefore the goods are carried out from the gravity flow rack A after thegoods are carried therein for an initial supply, the stopper 306 isoscillated to the virtual line position of FIG. 8 in order not tointerfere the goods carried out from the gravity flow rack A. Thestopper 306 may be oscillated by using an air cylinder or the like.Further, in FIG. 9, reference numerals 366 and 366' respectively denotea bracket and a limit switch for L detecting an actuated state of thestopper, and 367 and 367' respectively denote a bracket and a limitswitch for detecting a released state of the stopper. Similarly,reference numeral 368 denotes a cushion member attached to the stopper.

In the goods handling apparatus according to the present invention, thegoods can be simultaneously carried in and carried out, if the stopperand the goods outlet apparatus are mounted on separate stacker cranes sothat they are independent with respect to each other. Further, aplurality of stacker cranes each including a stopper may be provided.

Also, the crane main body 3 is provided with a travel driving apparatus35 adapted to cause the crane main body 3 to effect a self-travelling, acontrol apparatus 36 adapted to control the lifting section drivingapparatus 33 and the travel driving apparatus 35 and the like.

The truck 4 in the outlet side stacker crane B is provided with amounting portion 41. Disposed in order on the mounting portion 41 are aconveyor (a movable conveyor) 42 adapted to carry out the goods F fromthe goods transfer conveyor 5 onto the goods outlet conveyor C and aconveyor 43 having a warped configuration held in a position of the sameheight as that of the goods outlet conveyor C. A front end portion ofthe conveyor 43 is disposed adjacent to the marginal portions at thesides of the upper surface of the goods outlet conveyor C. One side ofthe front end portion is provided with a free guide roller 44 erectedtherefrom and adapted to smoothly discharge the goods F onto the goodsoutlet conveyor C.

Further, the goods transfer conveyor 5 in the outlet side stacker craneB is pivotably supported at one end thereof by a supporting point 31a ofthe lifting section 31 of the crane main body 3 and at the other endthereof by a supporting point 41a of the mounting portion 41 at the sameheight as that of the goods outlet conveyor C, so that the rollerconveyor 34 of the crane main body 3 and the movable conveyor 42 of thetruck 4 are connected with respect to each other. Accordingly, the goodstransfer conveyor 5 has such functions that according to the lifting ofthe lifting section 31 of the crane main body 3, the goods transferconveyor 5 transfers the goods F, F,... from the goods outlet apparatus32 onto the goods outlet conveyor C at a downward pitch, a horizontalpitch or an upward pitch, while oscillating about the supporting point41a of the truck 4 and draws the truck 4 while following the crane mainbody 3 travelling. The goods transfer conveyor 5 may be short in lengthin order to facilitate the oscillation.

The inlet side stacker crane D is constituted generally in the samemanner as the outlet side stacker crane B except that as shown in FIG.5, FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, the goods outlet apparatus in the outlet sidestacker crane B is replaced with the goods inlet apparatus and a minorchange is applied to a small portion so that the goods can be properlycarried in the storage facilities A from the goods inlet conveyor E.

That is, the inlet side stacker crane D chiefly comprises a crane mainbody 3' supported by upper and lower rails 21' and 22' and horizontallytravelled along the inlet side storing space of the storage facilities Aand a truck 4' following thereafter through a goods transfer conveyor(tilt conveyor) 5'. Due to the foregoing arrangement, the goods F, F, ofthe goods inlet conveyor E can be fed to a desired storing space of thestorage facilities A through a goods inlet apparatus 32' mounted on alifting section 31' of the goods transfer conveyor 5' and the crane mainbody 3'.

The inlet side stacker crane D will be described in greater detail. Onthe lifting section 31' liftable by a driving apparatus 33' in the cranemain body 3', roller conveyors 34', 34', 34' (the roller conveyor 34'adjacent to the goods transfer conveyor 5' is a movable conveyor),besides the goods inlet apparatus 32' (liftable transfer apparatus),adapted to transfer the goods F, F,... onto the goods inlet apparatus32' from the goods transfer conveyor (tilt conveyor) 5' are linearlymounted. The goods inlet apparatus 32' employed in this embodiment is afeed apparatus (centering apparatus) comprising a roller conveyor 321'attached to a centering guide (goods guide) 321". A roller 322' of thegoods inlet apparatus 32' is disposed at angles and the centering guide321" thereof effects a centering of the good F to be fed to the storagefacilities A at the central portion of the roller conveyor of the inletapparatus by a power cylinder controlled by a computer according tosizes thereof. Further, the roller conveyors 34', 34', 34' adapted totransfer the goods from the goods transfer conveyor to the goods inletapparatus 32' are disposed in

such a manner as to intersect the goods inlet apparatus 32' at rightangles, and the central roller conveyor 34' thereof is annexed with aconveyor 34" adapted to guide the goods fed from the goods transferconveyor 5'. Further, the crane main body 3' includes a travel drivingapparatus 35' adapted to cause the crane main body to effect aself-travelling, a control apparatus 36 adapted to control the liftingsection driving apparatus 33' and the travel driving apparatus 35'.

The goods inlet apparatus 32' will be described in greater detail withreference to FIGS. 10 through 12. In these figures, reference numeral321' denotes a roller conveyor having a plurality of rollers 322' forconveying goods, and 321" denotes a goods guide reciprocally movablydisposed in the direction perpendicular to the roller conveyor 321'. Inthe roller conveyor 321', any of the respective rollers 322' is disposedat angles with respect to the goods guide 321". When the respectiverollers 322' are rotated by a motor 323' through a transmission shaft331', goods (not shown) carried in from the above in FIG. 10, whilebeing caused to move in the right direction in FIG. 10 of the goodsguide 321", are carried out downwardly in FIG. 10 and put into apredetermined storing space of the storage facilities A. Further, thegoods guide 321" is reciprocally moved in the direction perpendicular tothe roller conveyor 321' by the roller conveyor 321" according to sizesof the goods to correct the position of the goods under conveyance. Thatis, the goods guide 321" is controlled such that the goods guide 321" isdriven by a power cylinder 325' having an encorder, the reciprocalmovement quantity of the goods guide 321" being detected by measuringthe pulse of the encorder, the reciprocal movement of the goods guide321" being stopped at the time when the detected result agrees with acommand signal showing a size of the goods from a computer. Due to theforegoing control, goods conveyed on the roller conveyor 321' arecentered according to the sizes thereof and carried in the centralportion of a predetermined storing space of the storage facilities A.The goods guide 321" is provided with a plurality of guide rollers 326'.Reference numeral 327' denotes a guide shaft adapted to guide the goodsguide 321" in the reciprocally moving direction thereof. Similarly, 328'denotes a limit switch adapted to respectively detect the limit positionof the reciprocal movement of the goods guide 321". The limit switch328' is provided in order to protect this apparatus, and when the limitswitch 328' is actuated, this apparatus is suddenly stopped foremergency. Reference numeral 329' denotes a dog for two limit switches.In the roller conveyor 321' of the goods inlet apparatus 32', at least apart of the rollers 322' may be disposed at angles with respect to thedirection perpendicular to the goods guide. For example, the rollerspositioned in the front and back with respect to the conveying directionmay be disposed in the direction perpendicular to the goods guide.Further, instead of the guide roller 326', a slip plate may be providedto the goods guide. Further, it may be arranged as such that the goodsguide 321" is driven by a motor including an encorder. On the mountingportion 41' of the truck 4' in the inlet side stacker crane D, aconveyor 42' and a conveyor 43' having a warped configuration fortransferring the goods from the goods inlet conveyor E onto the goodstransfer conveyor 5' are mounted in a position having the same height asthat of the goods inlet conveyor E respectively. A front end portion ofthe conveyor 43' is disposed in a position adjacent to the marginalportion at the sides of the upper surface of the goods inlet conveyor E.One end of the front end portion is provided with a guide conveyor 43"for guiding the goods to the conveyor 43' in such a posture as toproject from the goods inlet conveyor E.

Further, the goods transfer conveyor 5' in the inlet side stacker craneD is pivotably supported at one end thereof by a supporting point 31a'of the lifting section 31' of the crane main body 3' and at the otherend thereof by a supporting point 41a' of the mounting portion 41' ofthe truck 4' at the same height as that of the goods inlet conveyor E,so that the roller conveyor 34' of the crane main body 3' and theconveyor 42' of the truck 4' are connected with respect to each other.

Further, the storage facilities A, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4,comprise a gravity flow rack having multirow and multistage storingspaces (storage portions) and a pair of rail frames 1, 1 having a numberof rollers are provided to every storing space at angles, so that thegoods F, F,... placed on the rollers can be moved from the inlet side tothe outlet side due to gravity. A storage capable height of the storageportion of the storage facilities A is made large at a stage onto whichthe goods transfer conveyors 5 and 5' transfer the goods F, F,...in agenerally horizontal posture and stages in the vicinity of theafore-mentioned stage and small at a stage onto which the goods transferconveyors 5 and 5' transfer the goods F, F,... in an inclined postureand stages in the vicinity of the afore-mentioned stage. Morespecifically, in this embodiment, the goods transfer conveyors 5, 5', asmentioned before, are provided opposite to a liftable transferapparatus, i.e., goods outlet apparatus 32 or goods inlet apparatus 32'adapted to transfer the goods to the storage portion. One of the goodstransfer conveyors 5 and 5' are associated with the lifting of thetransfer apparatuses 32 and 32' and the other ends thereof serving as apivot center and an oscillation center are disposed in the same heightof that of the vicinity of the storage portion at the central stage ofthe storage facilities A. Accordingly, the storage capable height of thestorage portion of the storage facilities A is maximum at the centralstage of the storage facilities A and stages in the vicinity thereof,minimum at the uppermost stage and the vicinity thereof and thelowermost stage and the vicinity thereof, intermediate at theintermediate stages thereof. By making the storage capable heights ofgoods of the storage portions of a stage onto which the goods transferconveyors 5 and 5' transfer the goods F, F,... in a generally horizontalposture and stages in the vicinity thereof large, tall goods F, F,...can be stored in these storage portions. Accordingly, if the tall goodsF, F,... are stored in the storage portions having a large storagecapable height, these tall goods F, F,... can be generally horizontallytransferred. Thus, although the tall goods F, F,... are high in thecenter of gravity in general, they do not fall during transfer. On theother hand, if short goods F, F,... are stored in the storage portionsof a stage onto which the goods are transferred at angles or in aninclined posture and stages in the vicinity thereof, since such shortgoods F or F' do low in the center of gravity in general, they are notfall even if they are transferred in an inclined posture. In thisembodiment, the storage portion of the storage facilities A is madelarge in its storage capable width at the downstream side of the outletconveyor C and upstream side of the goods inlet conveyor E. By settingthe storage capable width in this way, generally large sized and largehandling quantity of goods F, F,... can be stored at the downstream sideof the outlet conveyor C and the upstream side of the goods inletconveyor E, thereby to facilitate the handling of large sized goods.Further, an outlet side end portion of each rail frame 1, as shown inFIG. 8, is provided with a goods holding piece 11 functioning as astopper for the goods F, F,...transferred to an outlet port side. InFIG. 8, reference characters F and F' each denote goods, and the formerdenotes comparatively large goods, while the latter denotescomparatively small goods.

When the case the oscillation centers of the goods transfer conveyors 5and 5' are positioned in for example the lowest stage instead of thegenerally intermediate height of the storage facilities A as mentionedin the foregoing, it is needless to say that the storage capable heightof the storage portion is arranged to be maximum at the lowermost stageand its vicinity of the storage facilities A. Further, if the storagefacilities A comprise a gravity flow rack, the rail frame 1 may beprovided with a wheel instead of the roller. As a matter of course, thestorage facilities A are not necessarily a gravity flow rack. Further,although the storage capable height and the storage capable width of thestorage facility are preferably different as mentioned in the foregoing,they may be uniform.

Next, the goods handling method of the present invention will bedescribed by way of embodiments which use a goods handling apparatusshown in FIGS. 1 through 12.

The handling of goods by the afore-mentioned goods handling apparatus isusually started when a request of outlet is placed. That is, when anoutlet command signal from a main control apparatus (not shown) isoutputted to a stacker crane (not shown) of unit load storage facilities(not shown) provided to the upstream of the depalletizers L-1, L-2 andL-3, the goods F, F,... (not shown) stored in the unit load storagefacilities are carried out per pallet unit according to the kindsthereof and at the same time, a depallet command signal is outputted toa control board (not shown) of the respective depalletizers L-1, L-2 andL-3, thereby to start the depallet. This depallet signal includes anactuation command (command regarding position of the storage portion inwhich goods are to be carried, kinds, sizes, number, etc. of goods to becarried in) with respect to the inlet side stacker crane D.

A mode for carrying goods in the storage facilities A and adepalletizing mode, etc. prior to the foregoing will be described first.After the depalletizing is started, the depalletized goods F, F,... areconveyed through the respective forward lines K-1, K-2 and K-3 accordingto the kinds of goods. A desired number of goods F, F,... among suchdepalletized goods F, F,... are respectively fed to the storage linesE-1, E-2 and E-3 through the respective gate apparatuses J-1, J-2 andJ-3. For example, in FIG. 1, goods of a kind F₂ stored in the storageline E-1, goods of a kind F₃ stored in the storage line E-2, and goodsof a kind F₄ are stored in the storage line E-3, respectively.

When the depalletizing is finished (the feeding to the storage linesE-1, E-2 and E-3 is stopped and the gate apparatuses J-1, J-2 and J-3are switched), an action command signal for the inlet side stacker craneD is outputted from the control board of the respective depalletizersL-1, L-2 and L-3 to a control board (not shown) for controlling adepalletizer and the inlet side stacker crane.

The control board (adapted to allot the merging order and control thegoods inlet conveyor E) for controlling the depalletizer and the goodsinlet side stacker crane, when any of the three storage lines E-1, E-2and E-3 is finished (in FIG. 1, storage is finished with respect to thegoods of the kind F₄), based on a predetermined storage portionarrangement order, in other words, a goods inlet position arrangementorder for each kind of goods by the inlet side stacker crane D, of thestorage facilities A into which goods of a storage-finished storage lineand different kinds of goods now under the storage of other storagelines are to be carried in, a merging order of the respective goods isallotted. Thereafter, an action command is outputted by using, forexample, an optical communication to a control apparatus 36' of theinlet side stacker crane D. Thereafter, a merging switch command signalis outputted to the control board (which also controls the storage linesE-1, E-2 and E-3) of the respective depalletizer L-1, L-2 and L-3. Basedon this merging switch command signal, the gate of the top of therespective storage lines E-1, E-2 and E-3 is opened and goods arecarried onto the goods inlet conveyor E according to the afore-mentionedmerging order allotment.

The afore-mentioned merging order allotment is preferably effected withrespect to the storage portion, into which the goods are to be carriedin, from the upstream side of the goods inlet conveyor E to thedownstream side thereof in regular order in view of an efficient goodsinlet operation. That is, for example,.as shown in FIG. 1, in the casethat the kinds of the goods required to be carried in the storageportion of the storage facilities A are F₂, F₃ and F₄, the storageportions for storing the foregoing goods are arranged in this order fromthe upstream side of the goods inlet conveyor E, the merging orderallotment is preferably effected in this order, i.e., F₂, F₃ and F₄.This order allotment is decided at the time when a storage of goods isfinished to any one of the storage lines E-1, E-2 and E-3. In oneembodiment, the order allotment is not reviewed at the time when thestorage is finished in the second and the third storage lines. And, whenthe merging of the three storage lines E-1, E-2 and E-3 is finished andstorage for any one of the following storage lines is finished(sometime, the storage is already finished), the merging order isdecided again. At this time, if the inlet side stacker crane D needs totravel more than a certain distance (for example, more than a distanceequal to 6 storing spaces of the storage facilities A) toward theupstream side of the goods inlet conveyor E than the present position ofthe inlet side stacker crane D, it is preferable that the merging istemporarily stopped and after the inlet side stacker crane D arrives atthe inlet position opposite to the storage portion into which the goodsare to be carried in, the merging is resumed. When the aforementioneddistance is less than 6 storing spaces, it is preferable that withoutstopping the merging, the goods already merged and now conveyed by thegoods inlet conveyor E are detected by a photo-switch 45' (see FIG. 5and FIG. 6, wherein a portion equivalent to approximately 6 storingspaces of the storage facility A is projected from the front end of themounting portion 41' of the truck 4' in the direction of the upstreamside of the goods inlet conveyor E) of the inlet side stacker crane D,the goods inlet conveyor E is stopped at the time when the goods arriveat the photo-switch 45' and after the inlet side stacker crane D iscaused to travel, the goods inlet conveyor E is driven. Such action ofthe inlet side stacker crane D is made according to command of thecontrol apparatus 36'. In the case that the inlet side stacker crane Dis required to travel more than 6 storing spaces toward the upstreamside of the inlet side stacker crane D as mentioned, a merging stopcommand is outputted from the control apparatus 36' to the control boardof the depalletizers L-1, L-2 and L-3. In the case that theafore-mentioned merging order allotment is not effected, even if, forexample, the main control apparatus outputs the outlet command signal inthe arrangement order of the storage portion of the storage facilitiesA, due to as possible troubles of the respective depalletizers L-1, L-2and L-3, far and near of the arrangement, the respective depalletizersL-1, L-2 and L-3 are not driven in synchronism due to the difference ofthe number of goods to be depalletized, etc., if goods fed to thestorage lines E-1, E-2 and E-3 are fed to the goods inlet conveyor E inthe order of finish of storage, the goods are not necessarily carried inaccording to the arrangement order of the storage portion of the storagefacilities A. Accordingly, the afore-mentioned merging order allotmentis necessary in order to change this order. As a different example ofthe merging order allotment, the merging order is reviewed every timewhen storage of any one of the storage lines E-1, E-2 and E-3 isfinished.

In the state that the goods F, F,... are already stored in therespective storage lines E-1, E-2 and E-3 according to the kinds thereofas mentioned in the foregoing, or are being stored, if a gate for goodsF, F,... of any of the storage lines, for example, the storage line E-1is opened in order to carry in the storage facilities A, the goods F,F,... of the opened storage line E-1 are conveyed to a front side of theinlet side storing space of the storage facilities A by the goods inletconveyor E (goods conveying step for inlet of goods). At the front sideof the inlet side storing space of the storage facilities A, the inletside stacker crane D is waiting by placing its vertically andhorizontally travellable goods inlet apparatus 32' in a desired storingspace of the storage facilities A according to a command of the controlapparatus 36'. The goods F, F,...carried in by the goods inlet conveyorE are guided from the guide conveyor 43" to the conveyor 43' and then tothe conveyor 42' in the waiting inlet side stacker crane D in this orderand transferred to the goods inlet apparatus 32' by the goods transferconveyor 5' via the roller conveyor 34' of the lifting section 31'(goods transferring step for goods inlet). The goods F, F,...transferred to the goods inlet apparatus 32' held in the center by thecentering guide (goods guide) 321" are correctly fed to the centralportion of the appropriate storing space of the storage facilities A bythe goods inlet apparatus 32' (goods inlet step). Goods inlet states bythe goods inlet apparatus 32' will be described with reference to FIG.10 and FIG. 13. When goods are carried in the roller conveyor 321' fromabove in FIG. 10, about this time, the goods guides 321" are progressedand retreated with respect to the roller conveyor 321' according to thesize of such carried-in goods and stopped at a predetermined position.The carried-in goods, while being moved in the direction of the goodsguide 321", are conveyed downwardly in FIG. 10. Before being carried outfrom at least the roller conveyor 321', the goods are corrected inposition into the state abutted against the goods guide 321". Then, thegoods held in the center are conveyed on the roller conveyor 321' alongthe goods guide 321" and carried out. That is, as shown in FIG. 13,based on a pre-set central line X for the centering and a referenceplane Y, a progress-and retreat position of the goods guide 321" isdecided according to a command signal indicating the size of the goodsfrom the computer. Such decision, when a distance of the centeringcenter line X and the reference plane Y is put as Z, is made withrespect to goods F having for example a width W₁ from a reciprocallymoving quantity of Z-W₁ /2 by measuring the pulse of an encorder.

When the last goods F among goods F, F,... from the storage line E-1 arecarried in the inlet side stacker crane D, a gate for the next storageline E-2 is opened by a detector. And the goods F, F,... of the storageline E-2 are fed to the inlet side stacker crane D by running after thegoods F, F,... of the storage line E-1 and wait for the time when thegoods F, F,... are carried in the storage facilities A.

When the feeding of the goods F, F,... from the storage line E-1 to thestorage facility A is finished, in the state that the goods F, F,...from the storage line E-2 are loaded to the inlet side stacker crane D,the goods inlet apparatus 32' is caused to travel to a storing space inthe storage facilities A, into which the goods F, F,... are carried innext, due to the horizontal travelling of the inlet side stacker crane Ditself or the lifting of the lifting section 31' thereof. The goods F,F,... from the storage line E-2 are fed into this storing space. At thesame time with the foregoing, the goods F, F,... of the storage line E-3are conveyed by the goods inlet conveyor E and stacked at this side ofthe guide conveyor 43" of the inlet side stacker crane D, and wait forthe time when the goods F, F,... are carried in the storage facilitiesA.

In the afore-mentioned embodiment showing one example of a goods inletmode, while in the state that the goods F, F,... from the next storageline E-2 are loaded on the inlet side stacker crane D, the goods inletapparatus 32' is caused to travel and after the travel, the goods F,F,... from the storage line E-2 are fed. Alternatively, the goods F,F,... from the next storage line E-2 may be held on the goods inletconveyor E for waiting without being loaded to the inlet side stackercrane D and after the goods inlet apparatus 32' is finished travellingor lifting, the goods F, F,... from the next storage line E-2 may be fedto the inlet side stacker crane D by means of modification of thecontrol design.

When goods F, F,... are to be carried into the gravity flow rack as thestorage facilities A, before the goods F, F,... are carried therein, itis preferable that the stopper 306 is caused to vertically andhorizontally travel along the outlet port side storing space of thegravity flow rack A based on a command from the control apparatus 36 ofthe outlet side stacker crane B and the stopper 306 is caused to stop inits working state (position shown by the solid line in FIG. 8) at theoutlet port side of a predetermined empty storing space of the gravityflow rack A into which the goods F, F,... are to be stored. In thiscase, the stopper 306 is caused to vertically and horizontally travelaccording to the lifting of the lifting section 31 of the outlet sidestacker crane B and the vertical travelling of the outlet side stackercrane B. The working state of the stopper 306 can be obtained by meansof actuation of the brake motor 365. Thereafter, the goods F, F,... arecarried into the storing space, the outlet port side which that stopper306 is stopped in the working state as mentioned above, by theafore-mentioned inlet side stacker crane D from the inlet port side. Thefirst carried-in goods are moved from the inlet port side to the outletport side by gravity along the pair of rail frames 1, 1 of the storingspace into which the goods are just carried in, and stopped by thestopper 306 in the working state, thereby being prevented from fallingor dropping. At this time, shocks given to the stopper 306 by the goodsF, F,... are absorbed due to torsion of the pivot shaft 363, since thestopper 306 is mounted to the pivot shaft 363. In addition, the shock isalso absorbed by a cushion member 368 attached to the surface of thestopper 306.

On the other hand, when the goods F, F,... are to be carried out fromthe storage facilities A, the outlet side stacker crane B is caused totravel in the horizontal direction based on a command from the controlapparatus 36 and the lifting section 31 is caused to lift up and down,thereby to bring the goods outlet apparatus 32 to a desired storingspace. Thereafter, a desired number of goods F, F,... are carried outsuccessively onto the roller conveyor 34 by the goods outlet apparatus32 from the storing space (goods outlet step). The goods F, F,... on theroller conveyor 34 are transferred successively onto the goods outletconveyor C through the conveyor 42 and the conveyor 43 of the truck 4 bythe goods transfer conveyor 5 (goods transfer step for goods carry-out),and such transferred goods F, F,... are carried out by the goods outletconveyor C (goods conveying step for outlet of goods).

When the carrying-out of the goods F, F,... from the predeterminedstoring space in the storage facilities A is finished, while carryingout such carried out goods F, F,... onto the goods outlet conveyor Cthrough the goods transfer conveyor 5, the goods outlet apparatus 32 iscaused to move to the next storing space and a desired number of goodsF, F,.. are carried out from this storing space again.

In the above-mentioned embodiment showing one example of a goods outletmode, during the travel of the goods outlet apparatus 32 to the nextstoring space in the storage facilities A, the goods F, F,...alreadycarried out from the storage facilities A are transferred onto the goodsoutlet conveyor C. However, this transfer may be held stopped until thegoods outlet apparatus 32 arrives at the next storing space. Further,the outlet side stacker crane B may be caused to travel to apredetermined position (goods delivery position) before the goods outletapparatus 32 is caused to arrive at the next storing space and the goodsF, F,... carried out at the predetermined position may be transferredonto the goods outlet conveyor C, and after the transfer is finished,the goods outlet apparatus 32 may be caused to travel to the nextstoring space to prepare for the next outlet of goods.

When the goods are to be carried out from the storage facilities A, itis needless to say that after the goods outlet apparatus 32 is broughtto the outlet port side of a desired storing space of the gravity flowrack A by causing the outlet side stacker crane B to travel in thehorizontal direction and the lifting section 31 is caused to lift up anddown, while holding the stopper 306 in the released state (positionshown by the virtual line in FIG. 8), a desired number of goods F arecarried out successively onto the roller conveyor 34 by the goods outletapparatus 32 from such storing space as just mentioned.

In the above-mentioned one embodiment of a goods handling apparatusaccording to the present invention, the goods transfer conveyor 5functioning as the afore-mentioned tilt conveyor and the conveyor 42functioning as the afore-mentioned movable conveyor in the goods outletside are connected in such a manner as shown in FIG. 14 (A) and (B),FIG. 15 and FIG. 16.

That is, the goods outlet end of the (a) goods transfer conveyor 5 isoscillatably supported by the mounting portion 41 of the truck 4 throughthe supporting point 41a as described in the foregoing. On the otherhand, a movable end of the conveyor 42 connected to the goods outlet endof the (b) goods transfer conveyor 5, under the situation elasticallysupported upwardly by a resilient spring 101 functioning as anenergizing mechanism interposed between the conveyor 42 and the mountingportion 41, is held in such a manner that the bearing roller 102provided to the frame of the conveyor 42 is pushed downwardly by apush-down piece 103 provided to the goods outlet end of the goodstransfer conveyor 5. By this, the movable end of the conveyor 42, whenthe (1) goods transfer conveyor 5 is held in the horizontal posture asshown in FIG. 14(A) and FIG. 18(A), is set to be in the lifting endlevel under the state that the resilient spring 101 is expanded to itsmaximum, and when the (2) goods transfer conveyor 5 is in the downwardgradient as shown in FIG. 14 (B) and FIG. 18 (C), it is pusheddownwardly by the push-down piece 103 and set to be in a lower levelthan the lifting end level. The movable end of the conveyor 42, when the(3) goods transfer conveyor 5 is in the upward gradient as shown in FIG.18 (B), is set to be in the lifting end level under the state that theresilient spring 101 is expanded to its maximum the as same as mentioned(1).

A goods outlet operation by using the goods transfer conveyor 5 will bedescribed hereunder with reference to FIG. 18 (A) through (C).

As shown in FIG. 18 (A), when the goods transfer conveyor 5 is held inthe horizontal state, goods are smoothly and successively transferredfrom the upstream side conveyor 34 to the downstream side conveyors 5and 42, since the respective conveyor planes of the respective conveyors34, 5 and 42 are disposed on a same plane.

As shown in FIG. 18 (B), when the goods transfer conveyor 5 is held inthe upward gradient, the extension plane of the conveyor plane of theupstream side conveyor 34 points onto the conveyor plane of thedownstream side conveyor 5, and the extension plane of the conveyorplane of the upstream side conveyor 5 also points onto the conveyorplane of the downstream side conveyor 42. Accordingly, goods aresmoothly and successively transferred from the upstream side conveyor 34onto the downstream side conveyors 5 and 42.

As shown in FIG. 18 (C), when the goods transfer conveyor 5 is held inthe downward gradient state, the extension plane of the conveyor planeof the upstream side conveyor 34 points onto the conveyor plane of thedownstream side conveyor 5, and goods are smoothly transferred from theupstream side conveyor 34 onto the downstream side conveyor 5. At thistime, if the resilient spring 101, the bearing roller 102 and thepush-down piece 103 are not provided, the conveyor plane of the upstreamside conveyor 5 points to a lower part of the conveyor plane of thedownstream side conveyor 42 and collides against the pulleycorresponding portion. However, according to the present invention, asdescribed in the foregoing, due to the provision of the resilient spring101, the bearing roller 102 and the pushdown piece 103, a movable end ofthe conveyor 42 is pushed down. Accordingly, the conveyor plane of theupstream side conveyor 5 also points onto the conveyor plane of thedownstream side conveyor 42 and goods are smoothly transferred from theupstream side conveyor 5 onto the downstream side conveyor 42.

Further, in one embodiment of the goods handling apparatus according tothe present invention, the goods transfer conveyor 5' functioning as theafore-mentioned tilt conveyor and the conveyor 34' functioning as theafore-mentioned movable conveyor in the goods inlet side are connectedin the same manner as that of the goods outlet side as shown in FIG. 17(A) and (B). Reference numeral 101' denotes a resilient spring, 102'denotes a bearing roller and 103' denotes a push-down piece.

A goods inlet operation by using the goods transfer conveyor 5' will bedescribed hereunder with reference to FIGS. 19 (A) through (C).

As shown in FIG. 19 (A), when the goods transfer conveyor 5' is held inthe horizontal state, since the respective conveyor planes of theconveyors 42', 5' and 34' are disposed in generally the same plane,goods are smoothly and successively transferred from the upstream sideconveyor 42' onto the downstream side conveyors 5' and 34'.

As shown in FIG. 19 (B), when the goods transfer conveyor 5' is set tobe a downward gradient, the extension plane of the conveyor plane of theupstream side conveyor 42' points onto the conveyor plane of thedownstream side conveyor 5' and goods are smoothly transferred from theupstream side conveyor 42' onto the downstream side conveyor 5'. At thistime, if the resilient spring 101', the bearing roller 102' and thepush-down piece 103' are not provided, the extension plane of theconveyor plane of the upstream side conveyor 5' points to a lower partof the conveyor plane of the downstream side conveyor 34' and collidesagainst a pulley corresponding portion. However, in the presentinvention, as described in the foregoing, due to the provision of theresilient spring 101', the bearing roller 102' and the push-down piece103', since the movable end of the conveyor 34' is pushed down, theextension plane of the conveyor plane of the upstream side conveyor 5'also points onto the conveyor plane of the downstream side conveyor 34'and goods are smoothly transferred from the upstream side conveyor 5'onto the downstream side conveyor 34'.

As shown in FIG. 19 (C), when the goods transfer conveyor 5' is set tobe in an upward gradient state, since the extension plane of theconveyor plane of the upstream side conveyor 42' points onto theconveyor plane of the downstream side conveyor 5', and the extensionplane of the conveyor plane of the upstream side conveyor 5' also pointsonto the conveyor plane of the downstream side conveyor 34', goods aresmoothly and successively transferred from the upstream side conveyor42' onto the downstream side conveyors 5' and 34'.

FIG. 20 illustrates another embodiment of the outlet side stacker craneB. In this figure, the stacker crane B is constructed in the same manneras the outlet side stacker crane B shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4except that the truck 4 is not supported by the upper rail 21 and thetruck 4 is allowed to travel only on the lower rail 22, and between thecrane main body 3 and the truck 4, a connecting rod 51 which constitutesa link mechanism together with the goods transfer conveyor 5 and bothends of which are pivotably supported by the crane main body 3 and thetruck 4 is interposed, thereby to prevent the truck 4 from falling inthe travelling direction of the truck 4, and one side portion of thefront end portion of the conveyor 43 is provided with a guide conveyor44 instead of the free guide roller.

Although not shown in the figures, the inlet side stacker crane D maytake the same construction as that which is shown in FIG. 20. Inconnection with FIG. 20, the crane main bodies 3 and 3' of the inletside and the outlet side stacker cranes D and B may be constructeddifferently from those shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. Instead, theymay comprise a truck attached lift travelling on the lower rail 22, orotherwise a suspension type crane travelling on the upper rail 21.

FIG. 21 illustrates another embodiment of a goods handling apparatusaccording to the present invention. In this embodiment, the stackercrane is formed in an inlet and outlet type. That is, the inlet andoutlet type stacker crane G is movable between a pair of storagefacilities A, A, the lifting section 31 of the crane main body 3 beingprovided with a goods inlet and outlet apparatus (liftable transferapparatus) 37, the goods inlet and outlet apparatus 37 being connectedto a goods carrier conveyor H through the goods transfer conveyor 5. Thegoods inlet and outlet apparatus 37 chiefly comprises pickingapparatuses 37a and 37b disposed opposite to the storage facilities A, Arespectively. The goods inlet and outlet apparatus 37 also includes aroller conveyor 38 disposed between the picking apparatuses 37a and 37b,and a pusher 39 disposed in a position opposite to the goods transferconveyor 5 with the roller conveyor 38 held therebetween, a stopper 38bof a goods picked up by one picking apparatus 37b being disappearablydisposed between the rollers of the roller conveyor 38 near the otherpicking apparatus 37a or a stopper 38a of goods picked up by the otherpicking apparatus 37a being disappearably disposed between the rollersof the roller conveyor 38 near one picking apparatus 37b. Thus,according to the stacker crane of FIG. 21, storing goods can be pickedup from both of the storage facilities A, A by the picking apparatuses37a and 37b. Such picked-up goods are stopped by the stopper 38a or 38b,then pushed out onto the goods transfer conveyor 5 by the pusher 39 andthereafter carried out by the carrier conveyor H. When the goods are tobe carried in, the pusher 39 can function as a centering guide of thegoods, the goods transferred from the goods carrier conveyor H onto theroller conveyor 38 by the goods transfer conveyor 5 can be fed into anyof the storage facilities A, A by reversely rotating a pair ofexpandable tilt conveyors 37a' and 37b' of the picking apparatuses 37aand 37b. On the other hand, if one picking apparatus 37a is reverselyrotated so as to function as an inlet apparatus, and the other pickingapparatus 37b is normally rotated so as to function as an outletapparatus, goods can also be transferred from one storage facility A tothe other storage facility A. The storage facilities A, A in thisembodiment are formed as a usual stationary shelf instead of a gravityflow rack. Further, the goods carrier conveyor H may suffice, even if itdoes not extend so far as the end portions of the storage facilities A,A as shown in the figure.

FIG. 22 illustrates still another embodiment of a goods handlingapparatus according to the present invention. The goods handlingapparatus in this embodiment, different from the embodiment of FIG. 1,is constructed as such that the inlet side stacker crane D and theoutlet side stacker crane B are caused to travel the outside of thegoods inlet conveyor E and the goods outlet conveyor C respectively. Inthis embodiment, as shown in FIG. 23, a stage of the storage facilitiesA corresponding to the heights of the goods outlet conveyor C and thegoods inlet conveyor E (not shown in FIG. 23) is preferably left as adead space, since goods are difficult to be taken out by the goodsoutlet apparatus 32 and difficult to be fed by the goods inlet apparatus(not shown in FIG. 22 and FIG. 23). Further, the goods inlet apparatusin this embodiment is preferably expandable as same as the pickingapparatus constituting the goods outlet apparatus 32.

FIG. 24 and FIG. 25 illustrate another example of a goods transferportion, in which goods are transferred from the goods transfer conveyor5 of the goods outlet side stacker crane B to the goods outlet conveyorC. The illustrated transfer portion is constituted such that the frontend portion of the conveyor 42 of the truck 4 is provided with a chute45 instead of the conveyor 43 of FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 projecting above thegoods outlet conveyor C. This transfer portion may be constructed assuch that the conveyor 42 of the truck 4 projects above the goods outletconveyor C.

FIG. 26 and FIG. 27 illustrate another centering structure in the inletapparatus 32'. The illustrated centering structure is arranged so thatgoods are centered from both sides thereof by a pair of conveyors 6, 6instead of the centering guide 321" for centering goods from one sidethereof as shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6. That is, the pair of conveyors 6,6 are varied in the space and center the goods from both sides thereofby the control cylinders 7, 7 which are actuated according to a controlinformation command sent from a computer on the ground such as goodsfeed number, goods feed address (storing space of the storage facilitiesA into which goods are to be fed) and goods width, etc.

FIG. 28 illustrates a schematic plan view showing yet a furtherembodiment of a goods handling apparatus according to the presentinvention. In this embodiment, the outside of the travelling plane ofthe outlet side stacker crane B is provided with multistage goods outletconveyors C-1, C-2 and C-3, and the outside of the travelling plane ofthe inlet side stacker crane D is provided with multistage goods inletconveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3. Arrangements being as such that desiredkinds of goods F, F,... are carried into the storage facilities A fromthe goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 of a desired stage throughthe waiting inlet side stacker crane D. At the same time, desired kindsof goods F, F,... within the storage facilities A are carried out by theoutlet side stacker crane B and carried out by the goods outlet conveyorC-1, C-2 or C-3 of a desired stage.

The features of the above-mentioned embodiment will be describedhereunder with reference to FIGS. 28 through 30. The goods outletconveyors C-1, C-2 and C-3 and the goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 andE'-3 respectively are located at the outside of the travelling planes ofthe outlet side stacker crane B and the inlet side stacker crane D ofthe storage facilities A and disposed at generally the same height ofthe central storing space and its vicinity of the central stage of thestorage facilities A in three stages generally parallel with oneanother. The goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 are rotatable inthe normal and the reverse directions and convey goods F, F fed from theinlet side line (not shown) to a suitable position. The truck 4 in theoutlet side stacker crane B is provided with a lifting section 241 whichis lifted up and down between the uppermost stage of the goods outletconveyor C-1 and the lowermost stage of the good outlet conveyor C-3driven by a lifting section drive apparatus 240. The lifting section 241is provided with a conveyor 42 and a warped conveyor 43 adapted to carryout goods F from the goods transfer conveyor 5 onto a goods outletconveyor C-1, C-2 or C-3 of a desired stage (plane positional relationof these coveyors is same as FIG. 2). The goods transfer conveyor 5 inthe outlet side stacker crane B is pivotably supported at one endthereof by the supporting point 31a of the lifting section 31 of thecrane main body 3 and the other end thereof by the supporting portion241a of the lifting section 241 of the truck 4 in such a manner as toconnect the roller conveyor 34 of the crane main body 3 and the conveyor42 of the truck 4.

Further, the truck 4' in the inlet side stacker crane D is provided witha lifting section 241' which is caused to lift up and down between theuppermost stage of the goods inlet conveyor E'-1 and the lowermost stageof the goods inlet conveyor E'-3 driven by a lifting section driveapparatus 240'. This lifting section 241' is provided with a warpedconveyor 43' and a conveyor 42' for transferring goods from a desiredstage of the goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 onto the goodstransfer conveyor 5' in order (plane positional relation of theseconveyors is same as FIG. 5). And, the front end portion of the conveyor43' is disposed adjacent to the side marginal portions of the goodsinlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3. One end portion of such front endportion is provided with a guide conveyor 43" adapted to smoothly guidegoods onto the conveyor 43' and being retreatably projected from adesired stage of the goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 bysuitable means. Further, the goods transfer conveyor 5' in the inletside stacker crane D is pivotably supported at one end thereof by thesupporting point 31a' of the lifting section 31' of the crane main body3' and the other end thereof by the supporting point 241a' of thelifting section 241' of the truck 4' in such a manner to connect theroller conveyor 34' of the crane main body 3' and the conveyor 42' ofthe truck 4'.

In FIGS. 28 through 30, reference numerals not used in the abovedescription denote identical members, apparatuses, etc. denoted byreference numerals of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 and FIG. 6.

A goods handling method by the above-mentioned embodiment is performedgenerally in the same manner as the afore-mentioned mode wherein thegoods handling apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 through 19 is used.

For example, the inlet mode can be performed in the same manner as theafore-mentioned mode, wherein the conveyor 43' of the truck 4' ispositioned in the height as the desired stage of the goods inletconveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 into which goods F, F,... of the kind tobe fed to the storage facilities A and remaining in the state that theguide conveyor 43" of its front end portion is held projectingtherefrom. The goods inlet operation for the next kind of goods can beperformed in the following manner. That is, at the time when the lastgood F of the goods F, F,... from the goods inlet conveyor E'-1, E'-2and E'-3 of the first desired stage is carried in the inlet side stackercrane D, the guide conveyor 43" is caused to retreat from the firstdesired stage of the goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 by adetector which confirmed this, the lifting section 241' of the truck 4'is caused to lift to a position of the same height with respect to thedesired stage of the goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3, theguide conveyor 43" is caused to project above the next desired stage ofthe goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 again, and the goods F,F,... of the next desired stage of the goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2and E'-3 are fed to the inlet side stacker crane D in such a manner asto run after the goods F, F,... from the first desired stage of thegoods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3.

At the time when the feeding of the goods F, F, from the first desiredstage of the goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 to the storagefacilities A is finished, in the state that the goods F, F, . from thenext desired stage of the goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 areloaded on the inlet side stacker crane D, the goods inlet apparatus 32'is caused to travel to the storing space in the storage facilities Ainto which goods are carried in next due to the traveling of the inletside stacker crane itself in the horizontal direction or the lifting ofthe lifting section 31' and the goods F, F,... from the next desiredstage of the goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 are fed into thisstoring space.

In the case of the above-mentioned inlet mode, when the inlet sidestacker crane D travels to the upstream side of the goods inletconveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3, it is preferable that the next desiredstage of the goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 is caused torotate reversely, and the goods F, F,... of the next desired stage ofthe goods inlet conveyors E'-1, E'-2 and E'-3 are transferred to theupstream side according to the travelling of the inlet side stackercrane D.

On the other hand, it will be easily understood that if the outlet ofthe goods F, F,... from the storage facilities A is positioned in thesame height with respect to the desired stage of the goods outletconveyors C-1, C-2 and C-3 due to the lifting of the lifting section 241of the truck 4, it can be performed generally in the same manner as theafore-mentioned inlet mode.

Needless to say, the embodiment of the goods handling apparatusaccording to the present invention shown in FIGS. 28 through 30 can beapplied with a similar modification to those shown in FIGS. 20 through27 which are applied to the embodiment of the goods handling apparatusaccording to the present invention shown in FIGS. 1 through 19.

The features of the modes and the embodiments of the goods handlingmethod and the apparatus thereof according to the present invention willbe listed as follows.

(1) Since the goods carrier conveyors such as the goods inlet conveyorE, goods outlet conveyor C, etc. are not disposed on the travelling pathof the stacker crane such as the inlet side stacker crane D, the outletside stacker crane B, etc. but juxtaposed to the travelling path of thestacker crane, and in addition, the goods carrier conveyors can bedisposed to the intermediate level of the storage facilities, the goodstransfer conveyor can be used by inclining in such state as upwardgradient, horizontal gradient, downward gradient, etc., and the totallength of the stacker crane can be made short, thereby to minimize thedead space.

(2) Since the goods transfer conveyor and the goods carrier conveyor areseparate bodies with respect to each other, they can be separatelyactuated, stopped or speed controlled, thereby enabling wide control ofthe inlet and the outlet of goods.

(3) The goods outlet end of the goods transfer conveyor as the tiltconveyor can be located in a position lower than the goods inlet endthereof, so that goods can be conveyed downward from the goods inlet endof the goods transfer conveyor, and the gradient of the goods transferconveyor can be made comparatively small without making the length ofthe goods transfer conveyor long.

(4) When the goods transfer conveyor as the tilt conveyor conveys goodsin the downward gradient state, the movable end of the movable conveyordisposed at the goods outlet side of the goods transfer conveyor ispushed down resisting the force of the energizing mechanism adapted toreturn the movable conveyor to its initial position. Accordingly, whenthe upstream side tilt conveyor is connected to the downstream sidemovable conveyor in the downward gradient, the extension plane of theconveyor plane of the upstream side tilt conveyor does not point at alower level of the conveyor plane of the downstream side movableconveyor and always points at an upper level of the conveyor plane ofthe downstream side movable conveyor. Thus, goods can be surely andsmoothly transferred from the upstream side tilt conveyor to thedownstream side movable conveyor.

(5) After goods are taken out from a desired storing space of thestorage facilities, the goods are merely transferred onto the goodscarrier conveyor through the goods transfer conveyor. Thus, a simple andhighly efficient outlet is obtainable. Further, even if the stackercrane is travelling the goods already taken out from the storagefacilities and loaded on the goods transfer conveyor can be transferredonto the goods carrier conveyor Thus, an efficient outlet is obtainable.

(6) Inlet of goods into the storage facilities can be effected in such asimple manner that the goods sent from the goods carrier conveyor aredirectly received by the goods transfer conveyor and then simplytransferred onto the inlet apparatus.

(7) Heretofore, the inlet and outlet are usually effected by having thestacker crane reciprocally travel between the loading station and thestoring space of the storage facilities. Accordingly, the stacker craneis always required to travel one way in an unloaded state, which resultsin poor efficiency. In addition, since the forward and backward distanceof the stacker crane is long, much time is wasted. However, in thepresent invention, the goods carrier conveyor is always provided to theside of the travelling plane of the stacker crane and the goods carrierconveyor can be used as a substitute for the loading station. Thus, thestacker crane is not required to travel between the loading station andthe storing space of the storage facilities. In other words, in thepresent invention, the goods carrier conveyor is used as a movingloading station and irrespective of the travel of the stacker crane,goods can be fed to the vicinity of the stacker crane according to, forexample, the kinds of goods.

(8) In the case that a multistage goods carrier conveyor is provided, agate from a plurality of lines is not required. Goods can be directlycarried in the storage facilities from the plurality of lines throughthe multistage goods carrier conveyor and carried out to the pluralityof lines from the storage facilities through the multistage good carrierconveyor.

(9) When the multistage carrier conveyor is provided, since desiredgoods can be carried out to a desired stage of the goods carrierconveyor, when the goods are carried out from the goods carrier conveyorto the plurality of lines, the goods are not required to be selected asin the case in which one stage goods carrier conveyor is provided.

(10) The goods inlet apparatus is arranged such that the goods guide isreciprocally moved in the direction perpendicular to the roller conveyoraccording to the sizes of goods and the position of goods conveyed onthe roller conveyor along the goods guide while being moved in the goodsguide direction. Thus, various sized-and various kinds of goods can becentered according to the sizes and the goods can be correctly carriedin a predetermined storing space of the storage facilities.

(11) When storage is finished with respect to any one of a plurality ofstorage lines, between the storage lines, a goods merging orderallotment is made according to the arrangement order of the inlet sidestacker crane with respect to the respective goods, and according to themerging order allotment, the goods are merged onto the goods inletconveyor. Thus, the goods can be carried in the storage facilitiesefficiently, promptly, successively and without receiving an adverseaffection from the depalletizer which is upstream equipment with respectto the storage line.

(12) Since the storage capable height of the storage section of thestorage facilities is varied in relation to the goods transfer conveyor,when goods are carried in and carried out from the storage facilities,the goods can be efficiently, promptly and successively handled withoutpermitting the goods to fall down.

(13) Since a stopper is vertically and horizontally travellably disposedto an outlet side storing space of a gravity flow rack as storagefacilities, no braking devices, etc. are required to the respectivestoring spaces of the gravity flow rack and the goods carried in can besurely held. As a result, inlet of goods, particularly inlet of goodsfor an initial feeding can be efficiently and safely effected withrespect to the multirow and multistage gravity flow rack.

While specific embodiments of the present invention have been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the principles ofthe present invention, it will be understood that the present inventionmay be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles. Forexample, a goods handling method and an apparatus thereof according tothe present invention may be applied to either one of inlet and outletwith respect to the storage facilities. Further, it is also applicableto inlet or outlet of a single kind of goods. At any rate, the presentinvention is not limited to the above-mentioned modes and embodiments.

What is claimed is:
 1. A goods handling method for carrying in goodswith respect to storage facilities having multirow and multistagestoring spaces comprising the steps ofconveying said goods on a goodsinlet conveyor in a plane parallel to a horizontal direction of movementof a goods inlet apparatus, locating said goods inlet conveyor at aheight which is in the vicinity of a central stage of said storagefacilities, transferring said goods by a goods transfer conveyor, in aconsecutive manner, from said goods inlet conveyor to said goods inletapparatus, supporting one end of said goods transfer conveyor at thesame height as that of said goods inlet conveyor, pivotally connectingthe other end of said goods transfer conveyor for vertical movement withsaid goods inlet apparatus, causing said goods inlet apparatus to travelin a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction along said storingspaces of said goods storage facilities, and transferring said goodsfrom said goods inlet apparatus to said storing spaces.
 2. A goodshandling method according to claim 1, wherein said goods conveying bysaid goods inlet conveyor includes the conveying of goods respectivelyfed to a plurality of goods feed conveyors, and when the feeding ofgoods to any one of said plurality of goods feed conveyors is finished,between the goods feed coveyor to which the goods feeding is finishedand the other goods feed conveyor to which the goods feeding is stillcontinued, a goods merging order allotment is effected based on anarrangement order to storing spaces of said storage facilities intowhich the respective goods are carried in, and goods are mergedaccording to said merging order allotment.
 3. A goods handling methodaccording to claim 2, wherein said goods merging order allotment iseffected from an upstream side storing space to a downstream sidestoring space of said goods inlet conveyor.